Spiral conveyer and chute



Nov. 18, 1924- L. E. SEKULSKI SPIRAL CONVEYEiR AND CHUTE 1920 3 Shams-Sheet l Filed March 24 ficiZ 1, W24. mum

L. E. SEKULSKI SPIRAL CONVEYER AND CHUTE ill - the usual practice,

all

application ed march 2t, W20. Serial Ito. 888,288.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I. has E. SEKULSKI, a

' citizen of the United States, resident of Ellwood City. in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Spiral Conveyors and Chutes, of which the followin}! is a specification.

My invention relates in general .to the construction and manufacture of metallic iral'conveyers and chutes, and more particularly to the production of the segmental tread plates generally used to form the spiral tread or door of such conveyors or chutes. I

Heretofore the manufacture of these plates has been an exceedingly expensive item in the production of this class oi conveyors and chutes for the reason that the spiral twist or warp of the plates has been diiiicult toproduce, and has been a matter of several distinct operations. It has, heretofore. in been necessary to heat each plate and press it is een dies in order to form it to the proper twisted shape. For this reason also it has been necessary to provide a set of forming dies for each size of conveyer or chute. v The object of my invention is to do. away wlth the use oi all special machinery and extra labor involved in the process of manuiacturing the tread plates and to produce a better result and by simpler and much less expensive means.

My invention consists generally in a spiral chute or c'onveyer'having its iloor or tread formed of a series of connected sheets, each sheet being curved so as to form an irregular segment of the surfaceoi'a cylinder with its axis at an angle to any radial line of the cylinder formed by the outer circumference-git the chute. 4

The invmition consists further in the constructions and combinations hereinar described and particularly pointed out in the clai. The invention consists further in the herein inches high,

7 described method of forming spiral chutes or conveyers.

ing the invention and forming part of the a tread constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 chute.

is a plan sectional-view of the Figure 3 is a vertical section through the tread of the spiral on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a similar section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2/

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are details of one form of plate.

Figures 8 and 9 show an alternative form of plate. v I Y As shown in the drawings 5 is the cylin-' drical or hollow shaft or axis around which the spiral or floor of the chute is constructed. 6 is the'outercylindrical housing enclosing the tread. A helical angle bar 7, conforming to the helix of the inner tread line around the shaft. is secured in position by rivets or bolts8. A helical angle bar 9. conforming to theflhelix of the outer-tread line, is secured to the housing G by rivets or bolts 10.

12represents segmental tread plates which, as here shown, are arranged overlapping each other, and are riveted to the inner 'angle bar 7 by countersunk rivets 13, and to the outer angle bar 9 by similar rivets 14. The edges of plate 12, which,- as here ill) shown, overlap in a downward relation,

are preferably secured together by means of rivets'or bolts 16, countersunk ontop to present an unobstructed surface to permit the free passage ofar'ticles in a downward direction. v

It preferred the cylindrical inner and outer walls of the structure may be omitted, and guard plates, usually from 10 to 24'.-

said walls.

in forming the spiral tread each plate is cut in substantially the form of an irregular tetragon or quadrangle, as shown in Figures may be employed in place of .t d 1: 8 d i of he d a s s e;

has its inner and outer ends cut on curved lines, conforming substantially to spiral lines on the outer wall of the axis or shaft 5, and on the inner'wall of the cylindrical housing 6, and the outer ends of the plates Figures 2 and 5 of the drawing. .While' I have used this form of plate with marked success the form shown is not, however, essential. The plates may be cut with their straight or side boundary lines substantially coinciding with radial lines of the cylindrical enclosing wall of the chute, (see Figures 8 and 9 of the drawing).

, I do not limit myself to the form of plate shown in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawing,

or to the form shownin Figures Sand 9, but I may employ any plate having its inner and outer ends shaped to fit substantially the outer wall of the axis or shaft 5 and the inner wall of the cylindrical housing 6, and with its straight boundary lines extending angularly across, or coinciding with, radial lines of the chute. But I prefer the form in which the opposite side edges will extend angularly across radial lines of the spiral as when so formed a box or package will travel over the edge of each plate at an angle instead of slidin squarely over the side lines or edges and t is results in a smoother travel of the package or box. It also results in-giving greater strength to the spiral path and with less liabilit of cracklng the plates in case of overloa ing.

After the plates are out they are passed between straight facedbending rolls 17 (gee Figure 7 to produce a single curvature t erein. A slight irregularity may be found to exist, after the rolling, in the edges of the plates. This is not suflicient, however, to prevent the overlapped edges of the plates from substantially nesting together. when assembled. If there is any slight, irregularity it may be easily corrected, however, in the assembling of the plates. by rivets or bolts through the series of holes 18.

No heating of the plates, with this method of manufacture, is necessary, as the plates can be curved by being rolled cold. By adjusting the rolls 17 any degree of curvature can be imparted to the plates, difie'ringin size for different conveyers. The rolls 17 may be of inexpensive con'structiomsuch as generally employed for curving or bending sheet metal plates. In bendin the plates they are passed, between the ro ls in a'di rection that is at an angle to any-line on the plate that will, in the assembled conveyor, be a radial line of the completed spiral (see line 49-4 Figure 5). When plates of the form shown in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings are assembled this line will be substantially coincident with the line 44 of Figure 2, and the contiguous edges of the plates will have substantially the same curvature, and will substantially fit together when the edge of one is overlapped or nested with the other, and said overlapping portions of the plates may readily be secured b riveting as hereinbefore, described. As'eao of these radial'lines, because of the spiral form of the conveyer, is, atdifierent portions'of its length, in different planes, the plates must be shaped to conform substantially to the difi'erence helix angles .of the inner and outer supporting bars 7 and 9.

Each of the plates 12 being bent on a nerally dies has been found necessary for each size of plate required for each diameter and pitch of spiral. By my method of forming spirals I am enabled to bend the plates while cold, in simple curves using ordinary bending rolls, thereby materially reducing the cost of construction of such chutes.

Each plate may be substantially described as a concave tread plate. This form of plate is not objectionable inoperation, but on the contrary is found to be even more effective than a substantially flat plate havingsomewhat less tendency to cause the articles to pass down the chute in contact with the outer wall thereof.

Iido not limit myself to-the exact shape of the plates shown and described, or to any particular -de the same may varied in many particu are without departing from my invention.

While I have shown the lower edge of each tread plate overlapping the upper edge of the next succeeding tread plate, said edges being secured together by suitable rivets, and prefer this arrangement, I do not wish to be limited thereto as the edges of the plates ma be' secured together by butt oints, or y flanges or strips overlapping the. under sides of the joints between .the plates. Y I

I claim as m invention} 1. A spiral c ute consisting of a series-of tread plates, each consisting of an irregular tetragon bent into the form of an irregular segmentof a cylinder the axis of which will he at an angle to any vertical plane radiating-from the center of the spiral chute, the opposite edges of the plates when assembled extending angularly across radial lines of of curvature thereof as.

the spiral, andeach' plate connected with assembled tread, and securing the contigthe other along their adjacent edges. uous edges of said plates together. 10 '2. The method of manufacturing the In witness whereof, I have hereunto set tread-of spiral chutes consisting in forming my hand this 12th da of March. 1920.

5 a series of plates, wider at their outer than L E E. SEKULSKI.

at their inner ends, bending said plates by- Witnesses 1 passing the same between rollers on a line a H. S. BUCK,

extending angularly to radial lines of the WONBERG NELSEN. 

